Childminder in BarnsleyOfsted inspection, 15 Feb 2011

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 302638 Inspection date 15/02/2011 Inspector ISP Inspection

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Type of setting Childminder to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the childminding

The childminder was registered in 1996. She lives with her husband in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The ground floor of the property is available for childminding purposes and children do not use the first floor except to access the bathroom. Schools, parks and shops are within walking distance of the premises. Care is offered Monday to Friday for 48 weeks of the year.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder may care for a maximum of six children at any one time. There are currently five children on roll, of whom three are in the early years age range. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The children attending the setting are happy and secure. They are making good developmental progress and their individual needs are effectively met through some effective planning. Effective systems are in place to ensure children are kept safe and partnerships with parents are progressing well. The childminder is a reflective practitioner who has a good capacity for improvement. She has correctly identified areas of the provision that would benefit from development, such as the use of observations.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 enhance planning for the next steps in children's individual learning and include parents to ensure progression and continuity of learning at home  improve the use of the outdoor area and enhance children's free access to the activities and resources to ensure they are sufficiently challenged.

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the early years provision

The childminder is well organised and policies and procedures for the safe management of the setting are fully implemented. The childminder has attended safeguarding training and she understands how to record and report any concerns about the children's health and welfare. All adults living in the premises are vetted and risk assessments are effective. Consequently, the children are cared for in an environment that is free from hazards.

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the early years provision

The childminder successfully uses her time to interact with children and provide a This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 balance of adult and child-led activities, which successfully foster learning. However, due to the storage of resources the children do not always have sufficient opportunities to make independent choices of the toys and activities. In addition, while the children have lots of opportunities to explore the outdoors, the experiences are not always sufficiently planned to ensure that all areas of learning are appropriately addressed. The childminder actively promotes equality and diversity by taking positive steps to ensure that children understand about their own culture and cultures of the wider society. For example, they use materials and resources that reflect racial and cultural diversity and disability. Similarly, as part of their learning about Chinese New Year, they have opportunities to visit a

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the early years provision

restaurant specialising in Chinese cuisine.

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the early years provision

The childminder and parents work together effectively to meet the children's individual needs. Good levels of communication ensure that care routines within the setting compliment those within the children's home. The childminder has some good strategies in place to discuss the children s progress with their parent. However, opportunities to include them in planning the next steps in children's learning are not fully embedded within the daily practice. The childminder has a strong commitment to partnership working and frequently visits toddler groups and the local children's centre, where she works alongside other professionals to improve outcomes for children.

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the early years provision

The process of self-evaluation is developing but is not consistently used as a method of reviewing and assessing the quality of the provision. However, the childminder is able to critically assess the service she provides and has accurately highlighted areas for development, such as observation, planning and assessment.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder demonstrates a sound understanding of the six areas of learning and the Early Years Foundation Stage. She knows the children well and uses this knowledge to help her make plans for the next steps in their learning. For the most part, children are stimulated within the setting, however, there are occasions when the activity planning does not make the most of their current interest or provide sufficient challenge. In spite of this, the children are making good developmental progress. They learn about the world around them through taking part in an interesting range of activities and outings. The effective use of songs, rhymes and books helps to extend the children's vocabulary and memory recall. The children show good levels of concentration as they listen carefully to familiar stories, such as 'The Little Red Hen' and distinguish differences in sounds, word patterns and rhythms. They are confident to speak out loud and they consistently use language

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and outcomes for children

to describe their actions and sustain conversations. The children are developing good skills for the future. They have opportunities to use computers and they enjoy calculating and discovering numbers through practical situations, such as counting steps or cars during outings. In addition, the children show good problem solving abilities as they match shapes and complete puzzles with varying degrees of difficulty. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The children are cared for in a warm, clean environment, where good routines ensure they develop a broad understanding of personal hygiene, such as hand washing before eating. They also learn about healthy food types and the importance of physical exercise. The children move around the premises with confidence, as they choose where to play and learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they are taught how to safely negotiate the stairs and they are

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and outcomes for children

helped to understand the risks to their safety from environmental dangers, such as fire and traffic. Overall, the children establish strong and respectful relationships; they make friends easily and demonstrate high levels of self-esteem. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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